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During last year's end of April holiday, we hired a mini digger to build a pond and dug a rough hole.
We weren't expecting the next step to take over a year to get around to! Having decided that our rough hole in the ground wouldn't really cut it, we bit the bullet and hired 2 men who knew what they were doing with a digger, and who turned the rough hole into this:
They added a shelf along one side and a shallow area at one end which will become a bog garden. We covered the excavation with a layer of sand:
We created a wall to separate the pond from the bog garden:
My parents came over for a pond-lining party:
During the course of last Sunday we got the underlay and liner in place and began to fill the pond.
The bog garden got a filling with water to flatten the liner. This will be pumped out when we create the bog:
The other half and I still have to conclude our argument about where to build up a rockery for a waterfall that will go around/down the middle of/next to the bog garden and I think we need to increase the height of the wall and shore up a low point in the banking, but it's already been idyllic to sit on the edge of the pond in the sunshine, dangling our feet in the water and watching the sky reflected in the water's ripples, and the water reflected on the branches of the willows at the edge of the pond.
It's now payday and my fingers are itching to get out my bank card and splurge on plants! I can't wait to see it planted up and see what moves in!
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Thanks Alan and Hazel. I really can't wait for some sunshine to sit out there with that cake! That spot by the wall is the place least overlooked by the houses on the estate at the back and gives a great view of whatever's in the willow trees opposite - at the moment a flock of long-tailed tits a lot of the time, plus my constant red-breasted cabaret companion that I pay with mealworms.
Sounds just wonderful, have't seen our LTT's today, maybe it's too wet for them !
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Regards, Hazel
The blackbirds, starlings, rooks and jackdaws descended this morning after I'd put the food out, but it's dark and soggy out there and now there are just a few intrepid blackbirds hanging around and not much else. I did see a goldcrest investigating the hedge as I drove out of the driveway at lunchtime. Sorry to anyone that was waiting for me to back out - I was too busy watching him!
LOL, well done on spotting the Goldcrest, it is such a stunning tiny bird
I see the goldcrests quite a bit. They like to flit around the hedge and taunt me with their beeping while I'm in the garden.
Wow, Maisie, that's looking really great! How lovely for you to see a Goldcrest - that's a visitor I'm still waiting for.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
I've spent today moving some rockery plants from the greenhouse to the rockery (a bit untidily as you can see!)
I also checked on the colony of water snails I brought home from a friend's yesterday. From the general dispersal and amount of poo, I'm guessing they're enjoying their new home! Plenty of sludge from dropped willow leaves to eat :)
While I was scouting round looking for the snails, I found FROGSPAWN! Having not seen any frogs around the pond, and not having had a chance (and the weather!) to get any plants yet, I'm chuffed :D They've laid just on the edge of the beach.
Well done Maisie, you have a great pond there to attract in birds and wildlife along with snails and frogs too; all your hard work is paying off and it's only early days, congrats !
Maisie, I was wondering how your pond was doing - I'm delighted to see you have frogspawn already! You're clearly set for a good summer - well done!
Thanks guys! :) I'm thrilled with the frogspawn! After this weekend I should hopefully get a chance to go and stock up on some plants, now the weather's better and I don't need to break the ice before getting in with the waders!